Bigoted mum faces rebufi
Socialist Organiser1983 1983-08-04Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 5 →
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MR. Justice Woolf has ruled that the DHSS circular which advises doctors they don't need to inform parents if they give contraceptives to the under-16s is a partial victory for women fighting to control their own fertility.
The victory lies in the fact tnat a young woman can now visit her doctor or family planning clinic for advice on contraception knowing that the doctor/FPA staff probably won't inform her parents if she doesn't want them to. However, the circular doesn't direct doctors that they must respect the wishes of an under16 year old. And it'll still be easier to slip into the chemist for a packet of Durex, or get them from a slot machine, than to go to the doctor's hoping not to bump into your mum's friends, and that nothing will upset your alibi.
Furthermore, the ruling only rests on the fact that contraceptives aren't an 'instrument for the commission of a crime' The judge admitted that doctors could be guilty of a crime if they 'intentionally encourage unlawful sexual intercourse Roman Catholic Mrs. Gillick brought her case against the DHSS and her Area Health Authority to protect her 5 Romăn Catholic daughters. Said daughters spent the day of the court case at home with Mrs. Gillick's 5 Roman Catholic sons, praying for 'mum to win her battle' (Daily Mirror).
After the ruling, Mr. Gillick commented 'God help the doctor who puts my school-age daughters on the Pill. ... What it means now is that we are a breeding farm for the state' . Conventionally, the Pill is regarded as being 99.8% safe in protecting women from this...).
Local clinics, howerer, welcomed the chance to carry on working to prevent the growing number of under-16 year old pregnancies and abortions.
Meanwhile,. Mrs. Gillick plans an appeal •..